Love so Life

9.0

It's a cloudy sunday, and I'm walking in town with Nao.
Why do we always have to go buy things on such shitty days!
By the way... it was also a cloudy day when my parents left me...
It's almost ten years without parents anymore too.
I gloomily walk next to Nao, and look up at the sky.
"Watch your steps, stupid!"
Suddenly, Nao pulled my arm, and pulls me close to him.
I almost crashed with the street lamp.
"Thanks..."
I thanked Nao, and he looks at me annoyed.
I rergetfully hang my head.
He eventually puts an arm around my shoulder.
"Huh....?"
I look at him surprised.
Without looking at me, he tells me something unexpected.
"It's been a rainy day when I lost my mother, too."
...what?
I curiously look at him, and he turns his head away from me.
"Parents are so useless, especially our. Why do think about them so much?"
Despite his harsh expression, his voice is calm and caring. It almost makes me cry.
I bit bit my lips, before opening my mouth.
"They're more relieving than painful memories, though.. That day just reminds me of all the hatred I got. I rembemer it all, although I want them to forget more than anything elese."
He nods sadly, seeming to know how I feel.
Taking that as my chance, I ask him about his past.
"Hey... what did happen? On the day, when you lost your mother? You never told anyone..."
He huffs annoyed.
"I never told anyone, because it's a short and a story full of crap."
"Tell my anyway."
I bluntly said. He seems dissatisfied with my words.
"..Because we're family..."
I shyly added.
He opens his eyes wide with surprise.
Then he frowned, hiding his face.
"Hmpf! Guess I have no choice. I still don't know why you want to know though.."
Despite his harsh words, I could him blushing.
He sighed and is opening his mouth.
"My mother was a terrible mother. After my father died, all she did was working. Everyday, although she got a son who's alone. Most of the time, I would sit next to the window, waiting for her. Though, I always knew she was hating me, I waited, and hoped  she would at least sit herself next to me. Instead of that, she suddenly took me to a shopping district, saying 'Mom's right back, so go play, and wait for me getting you.' Then she left. I knew very well what would happen.
I waited all day for her, but of course she never came."
Nao clenches his fist, and continued.
"Most of the people whom I told that, said she would have still got me, but I don't believe that at all. She had a strangely big bag with her, too.
At late hour, the police found me sitting on a bench. At first, they asked me things like I was running away from home, but at some point they were giving up, and took me to the orphanage. In the middle of the night."
I must be looking a little sad because Nao looks at me, laughing suddenly.
"Wow, it's the first time you ever showed emotion!"
I glareed at him, but I stopped when I see him smiling gently at me. He patted at me on my head.
"Don't worry, I'm not really sad about it. I mean, I met people like you, and that's more than enough to feel like I have a family."
Oh...I never knew Nao feels that way about me...
But I behind his laugh, there's a hint of sadness.
I still keep my mouth shut.
A few minutes of silents, I finally opened my mouth to say something.
"I thought everyone hates me.. I might be a little happy that it's not the case..."
He looks both surprised and overjoyed, and I quickly looked away, my face flushed.
"D-don't get the wrong idea! I said I might...! And I also have feelings, y'know...."
I avoid my gaze, when I said these words.
He suddenly stopped walking again.
"Yuuki, I..."
He steps closer to me, and wanted to say something to me, when I suddenly see Mr. Kogami looking over at us.
He smiles waves at me.
Nao notices me looking in another direction, and turns around, to see Mr. Kogami.
Mr. Kogami comes over to greet us.
"What's up, Tachibana?"
I bowed quickly and he looks at Nao.
"Oh, are you Nao? Tachibana's friend?"
Nao looks suspiciously at Mr. Kogami, and looks back at me.
"Hey Yuuki, who's that?"
He asks.
"Oh. Nao, that's Kogami sensei, Kogami sensei, that's Nao. I told you about him, remember?"
Nao blushes at my words from ear to ear.
I look over at Nao confused.
Seeming a little irritated, Mr. Kogami changed the subject.
"What are you doing here?"
He asked.
"Oh, we're--..."
I wanted to answer him, but Nao bursts in.
"Sorry Kogami sensei, but we're on our way home now."
Nao, suddenly in a bad mood, took me by my hand, and pulled me.
Confused I called out to him.
"Nao...?! But we're not done with shopping!"
He ignores me, and just pulls me along without saying a word.
Looking over my shoulder I see Mr. Kogami smiling, waving.
I bowed my head, and let my self being tugged away.

After Yuuki and Nao were out of sight, put Mr. Kogami down his hand slowly , and his smile turnes into a blank expression.
"What is wrong with me? .... "
He coveres his face with his hands, looking up at the sky.
As if to reflect his feelings, rain drops are falling down....